Abstract art device



Dec. 26, 1961 A. HuGHEs ABSTRACT ART DEVICE Filed April 16, 1959 w H FW ww fr w VW B 2 1%. a F w United States Patent Ofice 3,014,302 Patented Dec; 26,' 1961 3,014,302 ABSTRACT ART DEVICE Alan Hughes, San Francisco, Calif. (228 Florence St., Crystal Lake, Ill.) Filed Apr. 16, 1959, Ser. No. 806,888 6 Claims. (Cl. 41-22) This invention relates to abstract art devices, and more particularly to apparatus for forming non-representational designs of various configurations.

In the field of art increasing attention is being given to works of abstract art, both by critics as well as serious artists. The field of abstract art to which the present invention more or less relates is that wherein various shaped, 'colored and fabricated elements are arranged to form composite designs, in many cases, suggested by actual objects, eg., where the artist transforms concrete objects into nonrepresentational designs with recognizable elements, irregular curved lines, graded tones, etc. Also included-in the field3 are thepure' abstraotions-abstract compositionshaving no concrete object or organic figure which ;is-changed by theartist. The rise in popularity of abstract arttcreations find their increasing application in many `fields other than-merely decorative paintings, eg. textile designs. Painters such as Miro, and Klee, not to mention Picasso in some of his earlier work, have popularized the use of variously shaped, colored and textured objects, partioularly of geometric Origin, in composite designs which produce pleasing eifects. The aesthetic qualities of abstract :art compositions, just as in more representational art, require subjeotive valuations. A composition or arrangement of basic elements which is pleasing to one person may not be to another. As a result, it is helpful if the composite elements may be viewed in a variety of arrangements with respect to each other so that a particular person may select that which is most pleasing to him.

One of the principal objects of the present invention, therefore, is to provide apparatus that permits a person to vary the relative positions of any number of elements which are to make up acomposite design so that he may select the total effect which appears most pleasing to his own aesthetic sense. Heretofore, a person interested in an abstract art painting or other configuration had to hope that he found a particular composition of abstract raw materials eifectively combined to his liking. With the present invention -it is possible for a person to choose not only the'particular elements, colors and shapes that he finds pleasing, but further, he may vary, easily, their relative orientation in order to effect -a unique combination which satisfies his particular artistic predileotions.

A feature of the present invention, therefore, pertains to means to permit a person to vary the content and interrelationship of abstract art elements in accordance with his own artistic proclivities.

More particularly, a feature of the invention pertains to the use of a frame member coopera'ting with a plurality of transparent members and preselected elements of varied Shape, color and textures to form an infinite variety of composite designs at his own behest.

Another feature of the invention relates to means to permit a person to retain a particular composite design, which appears pleasing to his own aesthetic Sense, for display, copying or other permanent retention thereof.

Yet another feature of the invention pertains to the use of a frame member with a plurality of stepped parallel levels intermediate its two surfaces, each of which cooperates with a fiat, usually transparent, member and various elements placed intermediate adjacent transparent members to' permit a person to change the positions of the elements with respect to each other and to clamp the transparent members together to permanently retain a particularly pleasing composite design.

These and other objects and features of the present invention will be more fully understood when the following detailed descriptions is read with reference to the drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the principal parts of the exemplary abstract art device;

FIG. 2 is a partial cross section along line 2-2 of PIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial cross section along line 3-3 of FIG. l; and

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the 'assembled a'bstract art device of FIG. 1 illustrating one of the myriad of composite designs which might be effected and retained.

Looking to the figures, the principal parts of the device may be seen to comprise a frame member 10, a hacking member 11, a plurality of transparent members 12, 13 and 14, and a locking frame 15. The rectangular frame member 10 includes a number of stepped ledges defining [levels 16-19 intermediate its upper and lower surfaces (upper and `lower with respect to the normal orientation of the drawing). These stepped levels cooperate With the hacking member 11 and the plurality of transparent meinbers 12-14. Looking particularly to FIGS. 2 -and 3, stepped level 1d supports hacking member 11,' stepped level 17 supports transparent member 12, stepped level 18 supports transparent member 13, and stepped level 19 supports transparent member `14. In its assembled position, the upper frame member 15 is fixedly attached to the principal rectangular frame member 10 (by means not shown) to hold the transparent member 14 firmly against its stepped level 19 (PIG. 2). The Vertical heights of the stepped levels 16-19. are such that there is free space intermediate adjacent transparent members 12-14 and between the hacking member 11 and the lower transparent member 12 when the members are supported on their respective levels.

As will 'be noted also with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2, the stepped levels 16-19 are staggered from the level 16 through the upper level 19 thereby permitting the transparent members 12-14 and the backing member 11 to be moved in an upward direction with respect to the drawing. At the same time, the levels support their respective members 11-14 at fixed maximum distances apart. Before the upper frame member 15 and the uppermost transparent member 14 are positioned with respect to frame member 10, a plurality of variously colored, shaped and fabricated elements 22 are placed intermediate the members 11-14. Since the maximum spacing 'between adjacent ones of transparent members 12-14, as previously mentioned, are suflicient to permit the variously assembled elements 22 to move freely about within the confines of members and the Vertical bounds intermediate adjacent levels, the frame member 10 may be agitated to change the relative positions of the various elements intermediate adjacent members. Whenever a particular organization of the elements 22 is found to be pleasing to a particular person's aesthetic Sense, means are provided for looking the design in situ.

The means 'for locking the transparent members 12- 14 and hacking member 11 togetherinclude a pair of flat looking members 25 whichrcooperate with a short stepped level 26 in the lowermost interior part of the frame member 10. The looking members 25 are rectangularly shaped pieces of Wood or other material which fit side-by-side along a common plane on the stepped level 26 which stepped level is parallel to the stepped levels 16-19 but closer to the lower side of the 7frame member 10. Stepped level 26 is sufficiently deep with respect to the lower part of the frame member 10 to mantain the looking members below the surface of level 16. The particular arrangement of these members may be seen most clearly in FIG. 3 of the accompanying drawing. ln ordinary use, the locking members 25 are retained on the lower stepped level 26, and therefore, do not interfere with the spacing intermediate the members 11-14. Consequently, changes in the relative arrangement of the elements 22 may be made. Whenever a particularly pleasing design is attained, however, the locking member 25 may be moved outwardly along the sloped surfaces 27 between the stepped levels 26 and 16 to force the hacking member 11 upward against transparent member 12. This, in turn, locks all members 12-14 between hacking member 11 and upper frame member 15. The thicknesses of the looking members 25 are chosen so that when they are forced intermediate the backing member 11 and the lower stepped level 16 on frame member 10, the plurality of transparent members are moved to their respective positions of minimum spacing against the backstepped locking ing member 11 in which they are held tightly together,

whereby in turn the various elements 22 intermediate these members are also tightly held in their present positions.

'A particular random design might appear somewhat similar to that exemplarily illustrated in PIG. 4. FIG. 4 shows the elements 22 of the exploded view of FIG. 1 as they would appear when the members 11-14 are held fixedly together by the action of the looking members 25 cooperating with the lower stepped level 16. Once this particular composite design is locked in place by the action of the locking members 25, the overall frame member can be photographed, copied or hung as a picture if desired. Moreover, whenever the particular orientation of the elements becomes tiresome or otherwise jaded, the owner can unlocl: locking members thereby freeing the members 11-14 and the elements 22 intermediate thereof. They can again, then, be rearranged in a different configuration to provide another composite design pleasing to the aesthetic sense of the Viewer. Alternatively, some of the elements may be replaced or merely others added.

It is to be noted (see FIGS. 2 and 3), that the backng member 11 and the ascending ones of transparent members 12-14 increase in both their width and length dimensions. As noted before, this is necessary to permit the stepped levels 16-19 to support their respective members 11-14 and, at the same time, permit the members to be telescoped together to maintain any particular composite design as a permanent representation. Further, note that the height of each level decreases as the aperture formed by each stepped level increases and preferably also that the thicknesses of members 11-14 respectively decrease as their other dimensions increase. This is to prevent the members 11-14 from coming out of the Vertical confines adjacent their respective stepped levels 16-19 which support them. More particularly, the hacking member 11 is thickest and cooperates with the highest Vertical step between its own level 16 and level 17. Correspondingly, member 14 is least thick and stepped level 19 is least high. If all the members 11-14 were of the same thickness, whenever the locking members 25 unlocked them to permit a new orientation of the elements 22 to be made, there would be a danger that one or more of the members 11-14 would be on one or two of the stepped levels. This would disrupt the overall functioning of the abstract art device. By decreasing the heights of the stepped levels 16-19 in ascending order, either alone or with corresponding decrease in the thicknesses of the members 11-14, said members 11-14 may be locked together without in any way atfecting their unlocked positions supported on stepped levels 16-19, respectively.

It should also be obvious that the present abstract art device could include a substantally larger number of transparent members. addition in the number of transparent members would require an addition in the number of stepped levels in the frame member 10. Even so, it would only be limited by the resulting bulkiness of the abstract art device. It should be remembered that whenever the elements 22 are mentioned, it is understood to include miscellaneous shapes, colors and materials. It should, in no Wise, be construed as a limiting term since it is intended to encompass whatever elements one might see fit to use in order to obtain a desired efect.

While the present invention has been disclosed with respect to a particular embodiment employing a particular type frame, it should be apparent that numerous other arrangements may be devised by persons skilled in the art-including, but not limited to, circular and irregular frames. All such variations should be construed to be within the spirit and scope of the present invention and, as such, are intended to be covered by the more specific terminology of the present calims.

What is claimed is:

l. A device for creating an unlimited number of abstract artistic designs from a plurality of variously colored and individually shaped elements comprising, in combination, a plurality of transparent sheet members disposed in superposed relation, means mounting said sheet members as aforesaid for bodily movement as a unit and providing also for their limited relative movement toward and away from one another to and from positions of maximum and minimum spacing with respect to one another, a plurality of individual, variously colored and shaped, substantially fiat elements disposed intermediate the adjacent ones of said sheet members, the maximum spacing between the adjacent ones of the sheet members being such as to permit said element or elements disposed therebetween to move freely to random positions with respect to one another with bodily shaking movement applied to the sheet members in unison, and the minimum spacing between said adjacent ones of the sheet members being such that said element or elements are clamped in said random positions, said mounting means normally supporting the sheet members in their respective positions of maximum spacing as aforesaid, and clamping means carried by said mountng means for releasably clamping said sheet members together in their position of minimum spacing, thereby to clamp said elements in the random positions to which they have been moved as aforesaid.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said mounting means includes a frame defining an opening for the reception of said plurality of transparent sheet members and having means extending along said opening for normally supporting the sheet members in their respective positions of maximum spacing.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein said transparent sheet members having width and length dimensions which decrease progressively from the upper to the under sheet members and said mounting means includes a frame defining an opening for the reception of said plurality of said transparent sheet members and being provided along the edge of said opening with stepped ledges adapted normally to support said sheet members in their respective positions of maximum spacing.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein said mounting means includes a frame defining an opening for the reception of said plurality of said transparent sheet members, said frame having means for securing the uppermost sheet member in fixed position and for normally supporting the lower sheet members along their respective edges and in their positions of maximum spacing with respect to said uppermost sheet member and to one another.

5. A device according to claim 1, wherein said transparent sheet members progressively decrease in size from the upper to the under sheet members and said mounting means includes a frame member defining an opening for the reception of the plurality of the sheet members and being provided along the edge of said opening With stepped ledges adapted respectively to support the uppermost sheet member in fiXed position and the remaining sheet members normally in their respective positions of maximum spacing with respect to said fixed sheet member and to each other, the spacing between the ledges which support the lower sheet members being such as to provide for movement thereof to their respective positions of minimum spacing as aforesaid but without relative lateral movement of the lower ones of said sheet members on to the ledges which support the next higher ones of said sheet members.

6. A device according to claim 4, wherein said releasable clamping means comprises a movable hacking plate carried by said frame and operative by its movement against the lowermost transparent sheet member to move said sheet members from their respective positions of.

10 spacing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,781,313 Blau Nov. 11, 1930 2,423,371 Carranza July 1, 1947 2,577V,320 Fenyo .V Dec. 4, 1951 

